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CORRECTED: Mickey Kaus Takes Out Papers For U.S. Senate Run — Pioneering political blogger Mickey Kaus took out papers [filed] to run for U.S. Senate in California, he told LA Weekly. The Venice resident said he'll run this year against Barbara Boxer for her seat.
Discussion:
Kausfiles, LA Observed, RedState, Firedoglake, Betsy's Page, Outside The Beltway, Wilshire & Washington, Alas, a blog, The Other McCain and Roger Ailes
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Ford Decides Not to Run — Under intense pressure from Democratic Party officials, Harold E. Ford Jr., the former Tennessee congressman, has decided not to challenge Sen. Kirsten E. Gillibrand in the primary this fall, according to two people told of his plans.

Why I'm Not Running for the Senate — WHEN it was reported two months ago that I was thinking seriously about running for the United States Senate from New York, Democratic Party insiders started their own campaign to bully me out of the race — just as they had done with Representatives Carolyn Maloney, Steve Israel and others.

Ford decides not to run for N.Y. Senate seat, source says
Discussion:
Top of the Ticket


Hotheaded Emanuel may be White House voice of reason — Rahm Emanuel is officially a Washington caricature. He's the town's resident leviathan, a bullying, bruising White House chief of staff who is a prime target for the failings of the Obama administration.
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Obama to Highlight Cost in New Health Bill Push — WASHINGTON — President Obama this week will begin a climactic push to rally restive Congressional Democrats to pass major health care legislation by hammering the argument that the costs of failure will be higher insurance premiums and lost coverage for individuals and businesses.


Obama looks to undecided Dems for health backing
Discussion:
Ben Smith's Blog, Washington Monthly, CBS News, Washington Times, The Politico, Right Pundits and The Page

Obama to Unveil New Health Care Bill Wednesday; “Much Smaller” …
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Fausta's Blog, The Note, The Reaction, Hot Air, Jules Crittenden, Dennis the Peasant, Another Black Conservative, Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion, JustOneMinute, The Lonely Conservative, Ruby Slippers, The New Republic, The Corner on National …, KeithHennessey.com, Gold Dome Live and Weasel Zippers

Some House foes eye switch to ‘yes’ on health care
Discussion:
The Atlantic Online


Who really gets hurt when GOP's Bunning blocks this bill? — WASHINGTON — The Department of Transportation furloughed nearly 2,000 employees without pay Monday as the government began to feel the impact of Republican Sen. Jim Bunning's one-man blockage of legislation that would keep a host of federal programs operating.
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Sen. Bunning is Angry: ‘This Is a Senators Only Elevator!’ — ABC's Jonathan Karl and Z. Byron Wolf report from Washington: — An angry Senator Jim Bunning refused to answer questions from ABC News about his decision to block a bill extending unemployment benefits.
Discussion:
Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, In The Pink, Mediaite, CNN, Crooks and Liars, CBS News, Wonk Room, Taylor Marsh, Courier-Journal, Another Black Conservative, TPMCafe, Bob Cesca's Awesome Blog!, Washington Monthly, The Huffington Post, Think Progress, The Swamp, Taegan Goddard's …, The Confluence, Alan Colmes' Liberaland, Wizbang, The Atlantic Online, Gawker, The Plum Line and AMERICAblog News


Bunning Blockade Leads To 21 Percent Fee Cut For Doctors
Discussion:
Washington Post, democracyarsenal.org, Liberal Values, CNN, Guardian, The Moderate Voice, Open Left and Top of the Ticket


Baby girl survives after being shot in the chest in parents' ‘global warming suicide pact’ — A seven-month-old baby girl survived three days alone with a bullet in her chest beside the bodies of her parents and toddler brother. — Argentines Francisco Lotero, 56, and Miriam Coletti, 23 …
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Paterson Said to Direct Aides to Influence Abuse Case — ALBANY — Gov. David A. Paterson personally directed two state officials to contact the woman who had accused his close aide of assaulting her, according to two people with direct knowledge of the governor's actions.

Texas Titans Battle for GOP Nod in Governor's Race — Gov. Rick Perry Portrays Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison as Washington Insider — When Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison signaled she was challenging fellow Republican Rick Perry for governor of Texas shortly after the 2008 election …
Discussion:
The Note, CNN, Dallas Morning News, Austin American-Statesman, PoliBlog and New York Times
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GOP Sen. Kyl: Unemployment Benefits Make People Not Want To Get A Job — WHAT'S YOUR REACTION? — A debate on the Senate floor Monday over unemployment compensation crystallized, at least for a moment, the divide between the two parties in Washington. — Sen. Jon Kyl of Arizona …


Head of ‘Climategate’ research unit admits sending ‘pretty awful emails’ to hide data — Scientists at the heart of the Climategate row were yesterday accused by a leading academic body of undermining science's credibility. — The Institute of Physics said 'worrying implications …
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Moderation, please — From NBC's Mark Murray, Chuck Todd and Domenico MontanaroThe Drudge Report has a provocative photo and link to a story on President Obama's recent physical exam. It shows Obama drinking a beer at a basketball game with this headline: “PAPER: Obama doctors recommend 'moderation …
Discussion:
Another Black Conservative, The DC Trawler, Hot Air, No Sheeples Here, Althouse, Riehl World View and AMERICAblog News


Coffee Party, With a Taste for Civic Participation, Is Added to the Political Menu — Fed up with government gridlock, but put off by the flavor of the Tea Party, people in cities across the country are offering an alternative: the Coffee Party. — Growing through a Facebook page …


B'klyn ACORN cleared over giving illegal advice on how to hide money from prostitution — Brooklyn prosecutors on Monday cleared ACORN of criminal wrongdoing after a four-month probe that began when undercover conservative activists filmed workers giving what appeared to be illegal advice on how to hide money.

Winter storms to distort US jobless figures-Summers — White House economic adviser Larry Summers said on Monday winter blizzards were likely to distort U.S. February jobless figures, which are due to be released on Friday. — “The blizzards that affected much of the country during …

Top Republican expects final healthcare vote before end-of-month recess — Republicans expect a final vote on healthcare around the easter holiday this year, the Senate's second-ranking Republican said Monday night. — Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) said he expected Democratic leaders …

Kent Conrad Rips Media: Yes, We Can Do Reform Via Reconciliation — In an interview with me just now, Senator Kent Conrad tore into the media for repeatedly botching its reporting on reconciliation, and confirmed that in his view, the current plan being entertained by Obama and Dems …


Halter joins Democratic ‘outsiders’ — With Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter's announcement Monday that he will run against Sen. Blanche Lincoln, Senate Democrats now have three colleagues facing serious primary challenges from candidates embracing distinctly anti-Washington platforms …
Discussion:
Firedoglake

PPP: Obama's approval rating now negative in every red state that flipped in 2008 — Feel the realignment. … There are nine states in all but I'm giving you numbers for four where there's a Democrat in trouble in the local Senate race and The One will be expected to — giggle — campaign for him.
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Obama's No F.D.R. — Nor Does He Have F.D.R.'s Majority — Every time I read an article like this from the Weekly Standard's Fred Barnes: … ...I wonder why there's no mention of this: — When F.D.R. took over the Presidency in 1933, the Democrats controlled 64 percent of the Senate seats …


Roger Ebert takes to Twitter to give tea party followers a thumb's down — The film reviewer is aiming barbs at Sarah Palin and other conservatives. — Who's the biggest scourge of the tea party movement these days? It might be film critic Roger Ebert, who lately has been tossing brickbats …
Discussion:
Althouse